Baseball
- Thread starter palmvalley1
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That pretty well sums it up. If you took me off the couch right now, six beers in, and handed me a bat to lead off the last inning, I wouldn’t have looked any worse than JJ’s ab.
This guy looks like he can’t throw anything but a fastball and JJ looks like that’s all he can hit.
Schwarz hasn't faced live pitching in a month. He's rusty, his timing and focus are off. The team as a whole looked very shaky, like they have for most of the last 20+ games. Maybe they can bounce back, but climbing out of the loser's bracket and winning 4 in a row against this field is going to be real hard. They have the talent and pitching depth to do it, but only if they get back to the playing form they showed the first half of the year.
I was surprised when the announcer said he'd seen his first live BP two days ago. Tough spot for JJ and for the team.
They certainly can run off four in a row. Obviously it's going to be pretty difficult. Singer and Kowar will start two of them. The longer we hang in there, the more our pitching depth will be an advantage.
The thing with this team is that the pitching is a little younger and they don't play defense the way Sully's past CWS teams have, but the power in the lineup made up for all that. In the first half of the season, Dalton, Schwarz and India were all going crazy. With that no longer being the case, the lineup looks pretty ordinary, the pitching is talented but not overwhelming the way it has been in past years and defensively they continue to give away bases and runs.
I'd like to see Smith at catcher the rest of the way. Credit to Girand for helping us get here, but he is an automatic out, and he's bad defensively.
Jus-stirring the pot. Better to laugh a little about it, then cry me a river... 
iG's 2018 CWS Game #2 Roster: Shake-up the line-up!
Can't do worse than losing,,, yet again....
RHP Connor Churchill 6-2 200 Fr
Last 5 - 7 H, 5 K, 3 BB, 3 ER.
FL 8A HS - 8-0, 0.39 ERA, 82 SO, 5 BB, in 53.2 innings
1st Relief Pitcher (#11 3B in Nation, .390)
RHP Garrett Milchin 6-5 210 Soph - Fr 3.29 ERA in 27.1 Inn's
UF 2017 Relief 1.59 ERA in 11.1 Inn's
Closer RHP Michael Bryne 6-3 210 Jr - NCBWA 'Stopper' of Year.
~ UF Record holder in Career Saves
C Cal Greenfield 6-0 205 Fr (RHP)
HS - .420, 23 RBI, 8 RS, 6-2B, 2-3B, 1 HR in 27 Gms.
1B Brady Smith 5-11 195 Fr (C)
HS Sr - .431, .875 Slugging, 14-2B, 7 HR, 30-2 Team
2B Deacon Liput 5-9 190 Jr - .286, 10 of 15 SB's.
From 2B position, he could catch and make good throws to 1B....
SS Brady McConnell 6-1 185 Fr
Rated #5 SS in Nation - .372, 24 RBI's, 21 SB
3B Jonathan India 6-0 200 Jr - .355, 20 HR's, 12 of 14 SB's
Hot and Cold, hope Gm #2 is Hot.... Last 5 - .333, Fielding & Throws = Flakey
LF Nelson Maldonado 5-10 195 Jr
Last 5 Gms .333 - 2 for 5 .400 vs TxT
CF Austin Langworthy 5-10 195 Soph - .295
3 of 11 .273 vs Au, 0 of 3 vs TxT.... -- Lame-worthy
RF Wil Dalton 6-0 190 Soph - .266, 19 HR's, 8 of 12 SB's.
Mostly for his ability to hit an occasional timely HR....
Last 5 - 5 of 18 .278, 1 of 4 .250 vs TxT.
==========
Start that line-up. If they are tied or ahead after 2 innings, keep them in.
IF behind, then substitute freely where needed....
iG's 2018 CWS Game #2 Roster: Shake-up the line-up!
Can't do worse than losing,,, yet again....
RHP Connor Churchill 6-2 200 Fr
Last 5 - 7 H, 5 K, 3 BB, 3 ER.
FL 8A HS - 8-0, 0.39 ERA, 82 SO, 5 BB, in 53.2 innings
1st Relief Pitcher (#11 3B in Nation, .390)
RHP Garrett Milchin 6-5 210 Soph - Fr 3.29 ERA in 27.1 Inn's
UF 2017 Relief 1.59 ERA in 11.1 Inn's
Closer RHP Michael Bryne 6-3 210 Jr - NCBWA 'Stopper' of Year.
~ UF Record holder in Career Saves
C Cal Greenfield 6-0 205 Fr (RHP)
HS - .420, 23 RBI, 8 RS, 6-2B, 2-3B, 1 HR in 27 Gms.
1B Brady Smith 5-11 195 Fr (C)
HS Sr - .431, .875 Slugging, 14-2B, 7 HR, 30-2 Team
2B Deacon Liput 5-9 190 Jr - .286, 10 of 15 SB's.
From 2B position, he could catch and make good throws to 1B....
SS Brady McConnell 6-1 185 Fr
Rated #5 SS in Nation - .372, 24 RBI's, 21 SB
3B Jonathan India 6-0 200 Jr - .355, 20 HR's, 12 of 14 SB's
Hot and Cold, hope Gm #2 is Hot.... Last 5 - .333, Fielding & Throws = Flakey
LF Nelson Maldonado 5-10 195 Jr
Last 5 Gms .333 - 2 for 5 .400 vs TxT
CF Austin Langworthy 5-10 195 Soph - .295
3 of 11 .273 vs Au, 0 of 3 vs TxT....
-- Lame-worthyRF Wil Dalton 6-0 190 Soph - .266, 19 HR's, 8 of 12 SB's.
Mostly for his ability to hit an occasional timely HR....
Last 5 - 5 of 18 .278, 1 of 4 .250 vs TxT.
==========
Start that line-up. If they are tied or ahead after 2 innings, keep them in.
IF behind, then substitute freely where needed....
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Connor Churchill has definitely not lived up to his hype so far. He was rated right up there with Leftwich, Mace & Butler when they all signed last year. As for Milchin, he's not playing this year due to some type of injury that required him to sit the season out. I do expect him to be a primary contributor next year.
The pot I stirred finally woke up and responded. Thank-you ocala...
The Jekyll & Hyde Baseball Gators recovered and played well, giving TX back a little of their own for 2005. Thanks guys, that was a lot more fun to watch than the Tech fiasco....
Now, can they do it a couple more times or not is the question?
The Jekyll & Hyde Baseball Gators recovered and played well, giving TX back a little of their own for 2005. Thanks guys, that was a lot more fun to watch than the Tech fiasco....
Now, can they do it a couple more times or not is the question?
Dr. Jekyll-Gator will lay down and die.
Unless Mr. Hyde-Gator shows and and kicks some butt...
=====
O’Sullivan will go with freshman right-hander Jack Leftwich (4-5, 4.50 ERA) to start the game on Thursday. While Leftwich found trouble in the last few series he pitched in the regular season, his last four outings, which included three starts, were pretty solid.
Unless Mr. Hyde-Gator shows and and kicks some butt...
=====
O’Sullivan will go with freshman right-hander Jack Leftwich (4-5, 4.50 ERA) to start the game on Thursday. While Leftwich found trouble in the last few series he pitched in the regular season, his last four outings, which included three starts, were pretty solid.
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Mr. Hyde gives TxTech a thorough thrashing.
Now on to Ar-kansas...
Here piggie, piggie, piggie....
Now on to Ar-kansas...
Here piggie, piggie, piggie....
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Why does it feel UFs pitching is getting worse? Some of them freshman and sophomores do not have any discipline on their approach. If they are Florida’s future the next couple of years is going to be down years for UF!!!!
You obviously don't have O'Sul's eye for pitching.
Listen to his post game on his freshmen. They are pretty good now, however....
Their time will come, down the road, and after more time with the master.
Listen to his post game on his freshmen. They are pretty good now, however....
Their time will come, down the road, and after more time with the master.
Piggie is here, and ready for the game. It is going to be a long day at work since the first pitch is at least 12 hours away.Mr. Hyde gives TxTech a thorough thrashing.
Now on to Ar-kansas...
Here piggie, piggie, piggie....
You obviously don't have O'Sul's eye for pitching.
Listen to his post game on his freshmen. They are pretty good now, however....
Their time will come, down the road, and after more time with the master.
I don’t need to listen I know what I have seen all year… They have a long way to go but I’m confident The Soulman (O’Sullivan) will get them ready…
Leftwich pitched great. Lot of traffic but he settled down and competed and got big outs. After that, Sully got a little too cute, trying to save his bullpen. I get trying to save Byrne, but I don’t get Baker in that spot. We let that lineup get going, and it almost bit us. It ended up kind of working out though. Byrne only threw like a dozen pitches.
Leftwich was great, but the bullpen was terrible. It was good to get the freshman out of the pen World Series experience, but they basically failed in their jobs. It's going to be really hard to win 2 in a row against Arkansas, especially the way they've been playing. But who knows? 3 out of the 4 Final 4 are SEC teams and we won the league.
It’s obviously hard to win 2 in a row against a team playing as well as Arky, particularly with a rested roster, but we have Singer going in game 1, so you’d have to call us the favorites in that one. If we get to game 2, we’ve got all the momentum and the pressure will be on them.
Plus our lineup is coming alive. With JJ back as a threat and Smith at C, the lineup seems twice as deep. I think the bottom of our lineup had 6 hits last night.
I am not so certain that you would be considered the favorite against the Hogs with Singer going tonight. He is obviously one of the best pitchers in the nation, but he his pitching on shorter than normal rest with a career ERA of over 14.00 against the Hogs who can really hit the ball. It should be a great game.
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You guys touched him up earlier this year, and you have a great lineup. I'd make us a slight favorite, but I agree it's pretty much a toss up. I like the way we're playing right now, and you guys are obviously on fire. Should be a great game.
We have touched him up before, and you have touched up starter tonight as well, so who knows what will happen? I obviously hope that the Hogs win it tonight so we will have the luxury of having our normal rotation rested and ready for the Championship Series, not to mention, I don't particularly want any part of a winner-take-all game against you guys on Saturday.
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I’m most nervous about all the errors we’ve been making. Can’t give you guys free outs and bases. I think we’ll see a real tough game from both teams. SEC is really representing in the CWS. Three of the final 4.
That's a concern for me as well. We aren't the best fielding team around, in fact, that is probably our largest weakness. Our teams seem to mirror each other in so many ways, and if I heard correctly during a previous game, our head coaches are apparently pretty good friends as well.
Honestly think you are overacting. They are facing some of the best players in College baseball.
Freshmen Bull-Pen, thrown into the CWS, and they got some strike-outs.
LHP Andrew Baker Soph - 0 SO's
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LHP Jordan Butler Fr - 1-SO
RHP Hunter McMullen Fr - 1-SO
RHP Tommy Mace Fr - Only faced 1 batter.
Mace gave up a hit, but on a good pitch that the batter was just able to get a dink hit on.
Two of the Fr have 'krazy' pitches that dance and almost do S-curves at the plate.
As they develop better control, (read throw more strikes), they are going to become the latest Gator 'mound monsters.' -- RHP Tommy Mace & Hunter McMullen
The other guys did well enough to get the team to 'Feel the Byrne' save time....
Think about it guys, the Byrne gave up a 2 run single, so those freshmen didn't do so bad after being thrown into a tough CWS game against a strong hitting team.
In this case ocala, I'm going to have to stick with O'Sul's opinions,,, and my own eyes.
=========
March 23rd - L UF 3-6 Ark
March 24th - W UF 17-2 Ark
-- They did win 2 in a row in the regular season.
March 25th - W UF 5-4 Ark
May 25th ---- L UF 2-8 Ark
-----
Combined - UF 27 - 20 Ark -- They went 2-2 against each other.
So it depends on who shows up for the game(s).
Dr Jekyll Gator
or Mr Hyde Gator.... Go gettum Mr Hyde Gators!!!
Freshmen are starting and playing extremely well all over college baseball. And by now these kids are no longer freshmen, as they have an entire season under their belts, so I can't use their class status as an excuse for poor performance. Strikeouts don't necessarily make a great pitcher. Strikeouts in key moments do, when you have to have one. Getting ahead in the count and making batters hit your pitch are what make a great pitcher. That's what has made Michael Byrne so good. Leftwich was charged with 2 runs, but that's because Baker & Mace couldn't get anybody out and allowed Leftwich's 2 baserunners to score. Baker faced 2 batters, gave up a walk and a hit. Mace faced 2 batters, gave up a hit and another got on via error by SS. Butler came in and did his job in that inning, getting 2 straight outs without allowing a run to score. So Butler had a successful outing. McMullen started the 8th, walked 2 and gave up 2 hits, leaving the bases loaded with 2 outs and 1 run in. Byrne gave up a single to the 1st batter he faced, 2 runs scored, both charged to McMullen. Not good for Byrne, but McMullen was awful. Post game with Mike Rooney on the field, O'Sullivan was not happy, except for Leftwich, about the way the pitchers executed, saying somebody has to step up, which as a bullpen group, they did not do. He expected them not to need Byrne last night after having a 5 run lead twice, but the guys he brought in didn't get the job done. That was his opinion and I totally agree.Freshmen Bull-Pen, thrown into the CWS, and they got some strike-outs.
LHP Andrew Baker Soph - 0 SO's
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LHP Jordan Butler Fr - 1-SO
RHP Hunter McMullen Fr - 1-SO
RHP Tommy Mace Fr - Only faced 1 batter.
Mace gave up a hit, but on a good pitch that the batter was just able to get a dink hit on.
Two of the Fr have 'krazy' pitches that dance and almost do S-curves at the plate.
As they develop better control, (read throw more strikes), they are going to become the latest Gator 'mound monsters.' -- RHP Tommy Mace & Hunter McMullen
The other guys did well enough to get the team to 'Feel the Byrne' save time....
Think about it guys, the Byrne gave up a 2 run single, so those freshmen didn't do so bad after being thrown into a tough CWS game against a strong hitting team.
In this case ocala, I'm going to have to stick with O'Sul's opinions,,, and my own eyes.
=========
March 23rd - L UF 3-6 Ark
March 24th - W UF 17-2 Ark
-- They did win 2 in a row in the regular season.
March 25th - W UF 5-4 Ark
May 25th ---- L UF 2-8 Ark
-----
Combined - UF 27 - 20 Ark -- They went 2-2 against each other.
So it depends on who shows up for the game(s).
Dr Jekyll Gator
Go gettum Mr Hyde Gators!!!
As for tonight, I listened to the first 3 innings on my way back from Gainesville and the local announcers were saying that Singer has started 36 games as a Gator. In 34 of them he never gave up more than 5 runs. But in his 2 previous career starts against Arkansas, they've got him for 6 runs both times. They seem to have his number and are making him work hard tonight. Plus Arky's starting pitcher didn't last through the 2nd inning against us earlier in the year, as we got him for 6 runs on 4 hits and 4 walks, including a grand slam by India. He's dealing tonight, though.
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Really bad at bats early. The guy threw the same pitch for strike one every time. He was throwing hard and living outside and everyone was trying to pull the ball. Hopefully their bullpen craps themselves.
Tough to argue with this. They made us throw strikes and then did something with them. Everyone in our lineup was trying to pull the ball out.
Great season Gators. Final 4 showing after national chip. A very fun season.
It will be fun next season, seeing a team with a lot of young talent that will probably not be regarded as a national seed favorite.
It will be fun next season, seeing a team with a lot of young talent that will probably not be regarded as a national seed favorite.
We're losing a lot of home runs, RBI's and consistent players. However, this program just reloads. It will be interesting to see how many of our highly-ranked recruits sign MLB contracts and how many show up on campus. And then how many of the young players develop and improve in the offseason. Next year's starting lineup will have Langworthy, Dalton, Reese, McConnell, Bell & Smith as the nucleus. Unless an incoming freshman lights it up, weekend starters will probably be Leftwich, Dyson & Mace, unless Byrne comes back for his senior season to get experience as a starter. Butler could be the closer. A lot more holes in the depth chart and regular players than there have been in several years, but the talent will be there. Always is under O'Sullivan.
Baseball team went 49-21. They were 29-6 the 1st half of the season, 20-15 the last 1/2. 32-6 to start the season, then 17-15 to finish, with the slide starting with an April 17th loss to Jacksonville. 4th in the nation and SEC champs is an excellent year, but they obviously didn't play their best ball down the stretch.
Yea I guess I was overreacting… You will understand come next season and a few afterwards… If I’m wrong I will eat crow but if I’m not then…………I just know what I see and have seen and these upcoming pitchers will not do well……I don’t know why UF in all sports always has been starting their seasons so fast then they drop off by the end of the season gets here… Maybe Florida is giving them too much and they only have so much to give back and not enough to give… Sometimes a college and even high schools can give too much and spoil not the students but the overall athletics… I’ve seen this before……
Last year I think it was JJ Schwartz said that some previous players/team members are only there for themselves and that last season they were playing as a team… They lost that sight very quickly and it has shown… Last if you don’t believe the MLB drafts goes to players heads then you are in a dream world… They should postpone the stupid MLB draft until after the World Series is over with!!!
Great season for the Gators. Sully is doing an incredible job.
The Gators best hit on the night was when the butter-finger at 2nd got HBP....
I would have had Reese as DH, with a 'real' infielder at 2B....
Langworthy 1 of 3
Smith 1 of 3
Liput 1 of 4
DH Maldonado 0 of 4
The bats were obviously already on vacation...
With way too many errors and overall poor play in both the infield and outfield.
Singer - 2 K's, 1 BB, 4 ER's. Not his best outing as a Gator.
Not a repeat, but making the Final Four in Baseball is still a pretty good season.
One more time for that ole fan mantrra, 'Wait-til next Year'
RHP Tommy Mace 6-6 200 Fr - Tampa, FL
Season: W/L 5-0, SV-1, IP-62.2, H-66, ER-29, SO-45, BB-12 HBP-4, ERA-4.16
Vs Ark - IP-4, R-1, ER-0, SO-4, BB-0
2019 Firday Starter will be a fun competition to watch unfold.
If MsSt can pull it off, it will again be two SEC teams (Ark) playing for the CWS Championship.
And neither team were the two that played for it last year, (UF vs LSU).
The need for electronic 'Strike Zone' calls has never been greater IMOHO.
=====
Note 1 - I agree that the MLB draft should be after the CWS.
Note 2 - I agree that O'Sul is a great Gator Baseball coach, maybe the best ever...
Note 3 - I agree that a Final Four is a great baseball season, just not the best...
I would have had Reese as DH, with a 'real' infielder at 2B....
Langworthy 1 of 3
Smith 1 of 3
Liput 1 of 4
DH Maldonado 0 of 4
The bats were obviously already on vacation...
With way too many errors and overall poor play in both the infield and outfield.
Singer - 2 K's, 1 BB, 4 ER's. Not his best outing as a Gator.
Not a repeat, but making the Final Four in Baseball is still a pretty good season.
One more time for that ole fan mantrra, 'Wait-til next Year'
RHP Tommy Mace 6-6 200 Fr - Tampa, FL
Season: W/L 5-0, SV-1, IP-62.2, H-66, ER-29, SO-45, BB-12 HBP-4, ERA-4.16
Vs Ark - IP-4, R-1, ER-0, SO-4, BB-0
2019 Firday Starter will be a fun competition to watch unfold.
If MsSt can pull it off, it will again be two SEC teams (Ark) playing for the CWS Championship.
And neither team were the two that played for it last year, (UF vs LSU).
The need for electronic 'Strike Zone' calls has never been greater IMOHO.
=====
Note 1 - I agree that the MLB draft should be after the CWS.
Note 2 - I agree that O'Sul is a great Gator Baseball coach, maybe the best ever...
Note 3 - I agree that a Final Four is a great baseball season, just not the best...
I disagree about this year's freshman pitchers not projecting to do well their sophomore & junior years. Brady Singer pitched 43.2 innings and was 2-2 with a 4.95 ERA and .316 on base average his freshman year. Jackson Kowar threw 34.2 innings, was 3-0 with a 3.38 ERA and .291 OBA his freshman year. And neither one of those guys was a weekend starter their 1st year like Leftwich and Mace have been for at least part of the year. Michael Byrne only pitched 16 innings his freshman year with 0-1 record and 3.94 ERA.
This year's key freshmen: Jordan Butler. 52.2 innings pitched, 6-2 record, 4.10 ERA with a .203 batting average against. Tommy Mace, 62.2 innings pitched, 4.16 ERA, 5-0 record, 1 save, with a .261 batting average against. Jack Leftwich, 81.1 innings pitched, 4.20 ERA, 5-5 record, 2 saves with a .231 batting average against. I would say those 3 guys threw more innings in more meaningful games against better competition than Singer, Kowar & Byrne did as freshmen and they held their own. And they should all be significantly better their sophomore years, just like Singer, Kowar & Byrne were. I think our pitching will be just fine. Now, replacing the likes of India, Schwarz, Horvath & Liput will be the real challenge.
When did Matt Damon join the team? I had to look 5 times and I busted out laughing whenever Brady Smith comes up to bat because that kid looks exactly like Matt D!!!!
https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/...hape/cover/sport/5b1c9166f7b09d0d49000001.png
https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/...hape/cover/sport/5b1c9166f7b09d0d49000001.png
